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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Jonathon Manning

Anne Robinson quits Countdown: Life, love life and net worth

Anne Robinson has announced that she was stepping down from presenting Channel 4 game show Countdown. But the 77-year-old has had a long TV career and has presented a wide range of shows over the years.

Anne recently joined Countdown as the show's host last year but has already filmed 265 episodes of the game show. However, she announced she was quitting the show this morning, saying that it was time for 'an older woman to take the reins'.

But Countdown is just the latest show Anne has presented. She is most famous for being the formidable host of BBC's The Weakest Link, in which she regularly put contestants in their place while they voted their fellow quizzers off the show.

READ MORE: Anne Robinson shares honest opinion of Rachel Riley as she quits Countdown

Her career actually started in journalism but she soon found her way onto radio and TV. Find out more about Anne's career below.

Anne Robinson's early life

Anne Robinson was born in Crosby, Lancashire in 1944. Her mother was an agricultural businesswoman from Northern Ireland who later moved to England after marrying Anne's father. Her mum then inherited a family market stall in Liverpool and later turned it into one of the largest poultry businesses in north England.

As a child, Anne attended a private Roman Catholic convent boarding school in Hampshire called Farnborough Hill Convent. She worked for the family chicken business in the holidays before taking office jobs at a law firm.

Anne Robinson's TV and journalism career

Anne's career started out in journalism when she began working at a news agency before becoming the first young female trainee at the Daily Mail. She secured a permanent position at the paper after scooping the details of Brian Epstein's death.

She later married the paper's deputy news editor Charles Wilson, but she was forced to leave the paper because of their relationship in 1968. She then joined The Sunday Times.

However, Anne has battled alcoholism over the years and in 1977 she was fired from The Sunday Times. This came about after she reportedly interviewed someone while drunk and failed to hand in her copy. She then joined the Liverpool Echo.

She returned to work on Fleet Street in 1980 when she joined the Daily Mirror as a columnist and assistant editor. She also wrote a column under the pseudonym "Wednesday Witch". She has also written for a number of other newspapers including Today, The Sun, The Express, The Times, and The Daily Telegraph.

Anne is best known for presenting The Weakest Link, where she was known for mocking the contestants. Her catchphrase "You are the weakest link - goodbye!" was famous across the country. She joined the series for its launch in 2000 and remained in the presenter role throughout it's initial run until 2012.

Anne is also known for presenting the BBC's long-running consumer show Watchdog. She presented the show for 15 years.

Love life

Anne married Charles Wilson in 1968 while they both worked at The Daily Mail. She was forced to leave the paper due to their relationship.

The couple had a daughter together, Emma Wilson, who became a radio DJ. However, when Anne and Charles divorced, Charles was granted sole custody of Emma. Anne has admitted she was an alcoholic.

She later married journalist John Penrose in 1980. However, the couple announced they were planning on getting divorced in 2007 and cited "irreconcilable differences".

What is Anne Robinson's net worth?

Anne Robinson reportedly has a net worth of £35.8m, according to Celebritynetworth.com.

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